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Abbacchio alla romana
Roman Easter lamb
Abbacchio alla romana: Rome's Easter lamb with garlic, rosemary, anchovy and vinegar
Abbacchio is the Roman name for young milk-fed lamb, and abbacchio alla romana is what Roman families cook for Easter Sunday: small pieces of shoulder and leg browned in a pan, then cooked slowly with garlic, rosemary and sage and finished with a paste of anchovy and vinegar that cuts through the richness. It is served with roast potatoes or puntarelle. Outside Italy, use young spring lamb on the bone. Chef's tip: brown the lamb in batches until really golden before adding anything else; pale lamb gives a pale sauce.
- Total time
- 95 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 3 ⅓ lb young lamb shoulder and leg on the bonecut into 5 cm pieces
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garliccrushed
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup white wine vinegar
- ¾ cup hot water
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Pat 3 ⅓ lb young lamb shoulder and leg on the bone dry and season with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper.
Step 2: Heat 4 tbsp olive oil in a wide heavy pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the lamb in batches for 8–10 minutes, until deep golden on all sides. Return all the lamb to the pan.
20 minStep 3: Add 4 cloves garlic, 3 sprigs rosemary and 6 sage leaves and cook for 1 minute. Pour in half of 3 ½ tbsp white wine vinegar and let it bubble for 2 minutes.
3 minStep 4: Add ¾ cup hot water, cover and cook over a low heat for 50–60 minutes, turning now and then, until the meat is very tender and pulls away from the bone. Add a splash of water if it gets dry.
60 minStep 5: Mash 3 anchovy fillets in oil with the rest of the vinegar and a spoonful of the pan juices. Stir into the lamb and cook uncovered for 5 minutes, until the sauce is glossy and coats the meat. Common mistake: adding the anchovy at the start; it turns bitter.
5 minStep 6: Rest for 5 minutes and serve hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does abbacchio alla romana take?
- About 95 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 75 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of white wine vinegar?
- Cider vinegar or rice vinegar, same amount.
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